Ukraine has carried out another targeted strike against Russia’s “shadow fleet”, damaging an oil tanker in the Black Sea with a naval drone attack as part of its continued efforts to disrupt Moscow’s wartime economy.
Footage released by Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) shows the moment the Comoros-flagged tanker Dashan was struck at the rear by sea drones while travelling through Ukraine’s exclusive economic zone towards the Russian port of Novorossiysk. An SBU source confirmed that the tanker’s automatic identification system had been switched off at the time.
Third Attack on Shadow Fleet in Two Weeks
The strike is the third in two weeks on vessels linked to Russia’s shadow fleet, a group of lightly regulated ships used to transport Russian oil in defiance of international sanctions.
The Dashan, which is under EU and British sanctions, suffered significant damage in the explosion. The SBU did not confirm whether there were casualties, and Russia has not commented on the incident.
An SBU official said the agency would continue to act against vessels enabling Moscow’s oil exports. “Over the past two weeks, this is the third tanker of the shadow fleet put out of action that had helped the Kremlin circumvent international sanctions,” the official said.
The tanker is valued at around $30 million and is capable of carrying roughly $60 million in oil products per voyage. According to the SBU, Canada, Australia and Switzerland have also sanctioned the vessel for transporting Russian oil while operating with its identification system switched off.
Putin Threatens Retaliation
The recent strikes have drawn a sharp warning from Moscow. Last week, Russian president Vladimir Putin threatened to cut Ukraine off from the Black Sea entirely, accusing Kyiv of engaging in piracy.
“The most radical solution is to cut Ukraine off from the sea, then piracy will be impossible in principle,” he said in televised remarks, vowing to escalate attacks on Ukrainian facilities and vessels.
A Broader Push to Weaken Russia’s Economy
The attack forms part of Ukraine’s wider strategy to damage Russia’s energy sector. Kyiv has increasingly used long-range aerial drones to hit oil refineries deep inside Russian territory.
Since early 2024, there have been at least seven other attacks on tankers serving Russian ports, including incidents recorded in the Mediterranean.
Former SBU officer Ivan Stupak said the campaign aims to deter shipowners from handling Russian oil, calling the business “very lucrative” for operators willing to ignore sanctions.
